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I am resident and national of a EU country, where I live with my Thai wife since 20 years.

Our marriage is only registered in my home country.

Now as I am going to be 65 year and retire from professional activities in my home country, I would prefer to reside with my wife in Thailand in the future.

Question 1 : I guess that I will need to get translated in Thai language the documents issued by city hall at our EU home town as evidence that we are indeed married since 20 years. Will those translated and certified documents be sufficient or will we need also to register our marriage under Thai Law?

Question 2 : I guess that as an (EU) Alien married to a Thai wife I can take the option to have proof of income 40.000 Baht/month or 400.000 Baht in bank account even if this income is in fact a pension obtained after retirement in my home country. Or do retirees always have the obligation of 65.000 Baht/800.000 Baht whether they are officially married or not to a Thai wife?

Can somebody clarify "400.000 Baht in the bank method"

I am married to a Thai wife and I am staying in Thailand on Non Immigrant O but in 2009 I will retire at the age of 65.

Please keep in mind that if your Thai wife wants to stay in Spain for a period longer than six months the rules for visa do not apply : it means that also the Schengen agreement is not applicable. Your wife will need a residence permit and every country has its own rules about this (with this residence permit she can easily travel in the Schengen area)

For a Thai person only the Spanish Embassy in Bangkok can give you the correct answer, but they do not have the authority to decide : the Embassy will transmit your application to Madrid for approval.

Generally a Thai wife can get a residence permit in a EU country if :

a) she is employed based on a work permit (to be applied for by your Spanish employer before you arrive in Spain)

she is an investor and creates a company which will require special approval (kind of business permit)

c) if she goes to live with her husband or (retires) and then she will more than likely have to prove that she has financial means independent from you.

Unfortunately it happens that shortly after arrival in a EU country (also in Switzerland) the marriage breaks down and ends in divorce so that the Thai wife must have money to return to Thailand, otherwise she can becomea burden for the local authorities and in the worst case she will try to overstay illegally : this happens more than you think so the reluctance of the Embassy is not without reason.

I am citizen of a EU country and even after 10 years of marriage in my home country to a Thai wife, the Consulate of Switzerland in Munich refused to issue her a one day transit visa (to go with me by car to Italy) unless she could show to have enough money so that she is not totally financially dependent on me.They did not care about my passport, our marriage book, my bank account...they only wanted to see that there was money on her name.... So can you imagine how scared they are are for illegal overstays....

If you were a Spanish national the situation would be different but still not easy.

If you have relatives in Spain (Spanish nationals or other EU national with residence permit) it could help if they provide financial guarantees to the local authorities that they will help your wife to return to Thailand in case you would vanish (I am sorry if this sounds a little bit rude but I have been in the same situation as you until I could - after a lot of suffering - obtain a EU passport for my wife).